“Uh oh, what’s the problem?”
My smile falls, and my chest aches because I miss Cody already. “He’s a bull rider who lives in North Carolina. That’s like a thousand miles from here.”
Her head tilts to the side a little, her forehead scrunched in a frown. “You wanted an out, right? Maybe this is your chance?”
My eyes widen in shock. “I can’t just up and move.” I throw my arms in the air. “I don’t even know if we will work out.”
Ever laughs. “I’m not saying up and move right this minute, but at least give it a chance to see how things go. If you are both serious, it’ll work out. I’m a firm believer in following your dreams.”
“But when you left for New York, you and Writer didn’t do long distance. You two broke up.”
Only one side of her mouth lifts. “That’s because he couldn’t see past the point of me leaving. I wanted him to come with me, and he chose not to. I was following my dreams, Shug, but it ended up that my dreams were here all along. I just didn’t realize it at the time. I wished for more than a city I lived in my whole life, and I experienced everything I wanted to. I don’t have any what-ifs or the regret of not trying, and I can’t resent Writer for keeping me here. He loved me enough to let me go, and our love was strong enough to bring me back.”
I beam. “Now look at you two, married with a baby boy, and you own this amazing store.”
Her eyes shine with pride as she sweeps her gaze around the shop. “You can have everything you ever dreamed of, too, Shug.”
I stare down at the counter as a tidal wave of emotion runs through me. Sighing, I tell her, “I’ll see how it goes.” Wanting to change the subject, I ask, “Why are you here? It’s Monday.”
“I’ve been doing some thinking over the weekend—”
I abruptly interrupt her as panic begins to take root in my belly. “Oh God, you’re not firing me, are you? I swear I’ll never ask off again! Please—”
“Shug, calm down.” Ever giggles. “I’m not firing you. I don’t know what I would do without you, but I am going to hire some part-time help. I don’t think I’ve been fair with having you work all the hours you do. Both of us could use some days off. That’s why I’m going to promote you to store manager. You’ll be salaried instead of hourly, and I’m going to hire someone to cover some shifts for us.”
My mouth flops open and closed like a fish out of water. “You want me to be your store manager?”
“Yes, you’re an amazing employee, Shug. The best I could ask for.” She points her finger at me and narrows her eyes. “But if things work out with this bull rider from North Carolina, I want you to go, got it?”
“Got it!” I run around the counter, and my arms fly around her neck. “Thank you! I won’t let you down.”
She hugs me as tightly as I do her. “I know you won’t.”
As I’m opening the wooden gate, I wave my hand to let Jake know to drive in closer. Once he’s got the truck right where I need it, I use my hand to signal to tell him to stop. Jake jumps out of the driver’s seat, and we open the trailer. The wild, untamed mare escapes the confinement of the trailer and bucks her way into the outdoor riding ring. Jake slides back into the driver’s seat, and as he’s moving the truck forward, I get the gate on the ring closed. Climbing onto the wooden fence, I sit watching the mare buck crazily.
Jake joins me soon after, hopping up onto the fence as well. “She’s a spitfire, but damn she’s a beauty.”
I keep my eyes on the running horse as I reply, “Yeah, she is. We’ll let her run that energy off before we try to approach her.”
“Hey, boys!” My mom comes out to the ring. “She’s beautiful, but it looks like you two have your work cut out for you with that one.”
“Hey, Momma.” I get down from the fence and hug her. My grin is cocky when I declare, “I’ll be ridin’ her in no time.”
Jake pulls her into his side. “Hey, Momma Sterling.”
Momma reaches up and takes the Stetson from my head, holding it up to block the sun, preventing it from blinding her. “I’ve been doing some thinking about the ranch, and I think it would be a good idea to hire a ranch hand.”
“A ranch hand?” I frown in confusion. “What you need a ranch hand for when you have me and Jake?”
“You boys are gone quite a bit with the rodeos, and I’m not gettin’ any younger, Cody.”
My eyes narrow with suspicion, and I cross my arms over my chest. “You already have someone in mind,” I state.
“Yes, his name is Maddox. His momma is a long-time friend of mine who just moved back to town and reached out. Maddox had some trouble at his old school, and I suggested he come here. She agreed it might give him some responsibility and the discipline that he needs. He’ll work the summer, and when school starts back up, he’ll come after and on weekends.”
Jake nudges my arm with his hand. “We’ll show him the ropes, right, Cody?”
My glaring eyes meet Jake’s gleaming ones. Kiss ass. My jaw clenches as I respond, “Sure, we’ll show him the ropes.”
Momma’s lips purse, and she folds her arms over her chest, matching my stance. “You two better be nice. Maddox needs good, positive role models.”
“We’ll be nice,” Jake and I say in unison, both grinning.
“Alright, he’ll be here this afternoon. I’ll send him your way, and you can show him around.”
It’s late afternoon when a teenage boy comes sauntering over to the ring. “Which one of you is Cody?” He has a thick New York accent.
“I’m Cody.” I turn to face him and hold out my hand for him to shake. “You must be Maddox.” He stares down at my hand with a cocked eyebrow.
His attention drifts away, focusing on something in the distance. “Just tell me what I have to do so I can get the hell out of here.”
“Where did y’all move from?” I ask as I drop my hand.
“New York,” he responds with an attitude.
“Okay.” Pressing my lips together, I nod my head. “Guess New York didn’t teach you any manners.”
His glare returns to mine. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means here in North Carolina, when someone holds their hand out, you shake it.”
“Alright.” Jake steps between Maddox and me, breaking our staring contest. “Cody, let’s show Maddox around. Okay?”
“Yeah,” I snap through my clenched teeth. I don’t have time to deal with this. What the hell was Momma thinking?
The longer we walk around showing Maddox the ranch, the more he seems to be uninterested, and the more my frustration grows. I save the stables for last. “We start at five in the mornin’, and you’ll begin in here. Each stall will need to be mucked out.” When I see his confused expression, I explain, “Clear out the old hay, clean the stall thoroughly includin’ the shavings, fill with fresh hay after it all dries, dump any old food and water that’s left over from the day before, and give the horses fresh everythin’.”